robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

While sitting in a lawn chair in the shade waiting for the birds to forget about me and come back to the feeders 15-20 feet away this guy started dancing around and sipping nectar from flowers only a bit over 3 feet away. I had the camera sittings ready for birds in the sunlight so my 7DII and 100-400L mk II @ 400 were on 1/1000 @ f/10. The potted plants the butterfly was on were in light shade with fill from a bright open sky. The ISO shot way up - in this case to 2500 and the noise went with it.

I believe it is a "Painted Lady" or close relative. Can any of you bug experts help me out? It is on a Lantana so that gives you size information from the flowers.

Painted Lady?

(Download)

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

That is a really lovely photograph! It is definitely a Painted Lady, but which one? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painted_lady

If you don't already have one you should get an insect guide for Southern California. Or at least a general US guide to insects. There are butterfly guides too (did you once say you had one?). I like the Peterson's Guides as even though they are drawings (paintings actually), they point out the important features that distinguish similar species. I've collected a lot of guides to local areas, Counties, California, USA for Insects, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals, Plants, Flowers, Trees. And even specific parks. Unfortunately, my home is so cluttered and can't really get to my insect guides to check for you. Note, the location where seen is important. Lets face it you are unlikely to see a species of Butterfly native to Japan or Cambodia in Corona, CA.

A nice place for Nature Photography not far from Corona is the Chino Hills State Park. At least it is not burnt like the Santa Ana Mountains near the 91 & 71 & 241 highways.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Well done.

ps5039 Loc: Avondale AZ/Raised in Iowa

www.butterfliesandmoths.org. Yes a painted Lady. This site will ID any photo you send them of a Moth or Butterfly. They track migrations and it's free.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank You, I do like it myself. I got several that were "almost" completely right, it was hard to pick one from the group.

My guide is kind of weird "Butterflies of North America" by Jeffrey Glassberg - sometime hard to find things, some are by common name, some by scientific name and some by both. Painted Ladies are by scientific name only, this seems to be a plain "Painted Lady" V. cardui, but I was/am not sure.

As to location, I wouldn't absolutely rule out any kind of "exotic" here in So Cal. So many different things have been brought in and then got into the wild. Plants, birds, butterflies etc. I owned a home in Azusa for 20 years and sometimes got visits by a flock of Parakeets. Seems there are several flocks that roam the San Gabriel Valley. For a few years there was a Sparrow Hawk pair that hunted my block, when the parakeets and the Sparrow Hawks intersected it made for some colorful debris on my driveway as opposed to the usual brown/grey feathers left under the tree. A lot of other species that don't belong are found here and there in So Cal esp the various parakeets, parrots etc that are sold by pet stores.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank You

Sirius_one Loc: S.F. Bay Area

Very nice shot!!!!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

thanks a lot

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Yes, the exotic Parrots have become Naturalized to Southern California. As have the Giant Brown Snails, Tree Tobacco, Giant Reed (a pest giant grass), Imported Fire Ants, and many other plants and animals.

I grew up in Temple City (1954-80) and the flocks of Parrots flew around Pasadena to Monrovia and beyond then (late Seventies).

merrytexan Loc: georgia

it's a beautiful painted lady, and i love your closeup , robert!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thanks very much.

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

Beautiful image, Robert! Very well done!

CathyAnn Loc: Apache Junction, AZ

That's a wonderful shot, Jerry!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Thank you Sue.